Event: English/Islamic Law Discussion, Temple Church, Wed 9 July

The relationship between Islamic and English law is in the news again; a few months ago, I got rather unhappy at reported comments by the Archbishop of Canterbury on this topic, comments that subsequently turned out to have been quoted badly out of context. This is a good example of why I should follow my own advice to always go to the source for stories on law, especially in contentious areas, so I've got no excuse for not attending this event in person:

Islam in English Law: Free Speech or Incitement to Religious Hatred - Where Should We Draw the Line?
With Prof Tariq Modood, Geoffrey Robertson QC and Albie Sachs.

It's next Wednesday from 6 to 7.30pm in the Temple Church, which is just south of where Fleet Street becomes the Strand. Admission is free to students and academics, £10 otherwise; you can apply for tickets (you still have to do this even for free ones) here. Anyone interested in joining me?

TV Alert - British Space Programme

Channel 5, tonight 7.30-8pm: 'Brits Who Made the Modern World: Rockets'

A short history of the British Space Programme, which as many of you know is quite a pet interest of mine.

EDIT: Well, that was short but sweet.

Hits: personal anecdotes from the people involved, footage I'd never seen before of the Black Arrow R0 launch failure, enthusiastic Peter Snow narration.

Misses: at only half an hour less commercial break it completely neglected the Blue Streak / Europa programme. Yes, the UK did manage to have two parallel space programmes, one indigenous and the other European, but it's a bit misleading to present Black Arrow as existing in isolation. Also, whoever did the CGI for the launch animations should have talked to someone more familiar with Black Arrow - the payload shroud was jettisoned early in second stage flight, not after orbit insertion. (It was bolted to the second stage, so it would have been a bit awkward any other way.)